The present invention relates to exhaust and smoke ventilators for motor vehicles
Often when driving a person smoking a cigarette has to evacuate the smoke by opening the vehicle windows. However, that is uncomfortably cold in the winter, uncomfortably hot in the summer, and brings in wet rain during a rainstorm.
Among related patents include US Patent No. U.S. Pat. No. 5,120,271 of the Applicant Julio Shtanko for a ventilator for exhausting cigarette smoke and carbon monoxide gas from a ventilator interior.
However, the installation of the ventilator requires putting a hole in a car roof or frame in order to exhaust the smoke or gas.
Among prior art patents describing the use of a smoke detector and exhaust fan include U.S. Pat. No. 6,053,809 of Arceneaux for a building ceiling.
Moreover, U.S. Pat. No. 5,683,293 of Mohammed discloses a very thin hook-over-window draped exhaust consisting of passive louvers but it has no fan. It exhausts smoke purely by opening and directing the air flow, not with a fan as in Shtanko ""271, which discloses an exhaust fan, a carbon monoxide detector and tubes for evacuating air from the interior. However, Shtanko 271"" does not describe a portable vehicle cabin ventilator. Neither Shtanko ""271, Arceneaux, 809 nor Mohammed ""293 describe a portable vehicle cabin ventilator which utilizes a snug, over the window exhaust which, powered by the vehicle""s battery, such as through the cigarette lighter, greatly enhances the purity of the air within the vehicle""s cabin, by exhausting cigarette smoke, or noxious fumes from the vehicles.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a portable after market vehicle cabin ventilator.
It is also an object of the present invention to provide a portable exhaust for a vehicle cabin which utilizes the vehicle window for mounting and which promotes the quality of air within the vehicle cabin, without the need to open the windows in inclement cold or hot weather.
Other objects which become apparent from the following description of the present invention.
In keeping with these objects and others which may become apparent, the present invention is a ventilator for a vehicle cabin which detects and exhausts air contaminated by cigarette, pipe or cigar smoke through an exhaust mounted on the vehicle window.
The ventilator also detects dangerous carbon monoxide fumes within a parked or moving vehicle. The ventilator of the present invention enhances the air quality of the vehicle interior by incorporating smoke and gas detectors, as well as one or more fans. The addition of the window mount to the ventilator greatly enhances the portability aspects while maintaining its utility as a exhaust ventilator.
The use of low voltage direct current power, such as from the cigarette lighter, provides the ventilator with a convenient and reliable source of power.
The important monitoring function of the ventilator is maintained with the smoke and gas detector features. The combination of the exhaust system with the unique window mount provide beneficial effects that are not possible with any other type of portable exhaust.
In a preferred embodiment, the structure of the ventilator is thin and covered with a soft interior, such as a thermoplastic elastomer, so as not to be obstructive within the vehicle interior.
In one of the embodiments, the portable ventilator is used in a vehicle cabin, over the window, which slides up to close the window opening. The portable ventilator includes a housing containing an exhaust fan. The housing is adapted to be removably mounted at any suitable location within the vehicle cabin.
Electrical power is provided to the exhaust fan from a source of power, such as one or more batteries or the cigarette lighter, within the cabin. The housing has ventilator module which is mounted on a top edge of a partially open window in the vehicle cabin. The ventilator module includes an elongated housing with an inverted U-shaped section straddling the top edge of the window. An extended exhaust plenum is formed within the module on the interior side of the window adjacent to the U-shaped section, and an overhanging section of the module butts against a top of the window opening. The overhanging section forms a passageway that communicates with the exhaust plenum and it has an elongated discharge opening outside of the vehicle cabin.
A hose connects the exhaust fan in the housing to one end of the exhaust plenum in the ventilator module to exhaust stale or smoke-filled air within the cabin out through the discharge opening of the module, to the outside of the vehicle cabin.
Preferably, the portable ventilator has a carbon monoxide sensor that automatically initiates operation of the exhaust fan when a predetermined threshold of carbon monoxide is reached. In addition, the portable ventilator may have a manual on/off switch for turning the exhaust fan on and off. To prevent hot or cold ambient outside air from entering the cabin while the portable ventilator housing straddles the window, the U-shaped section of the ventilator module has a seal between its walls and window.
Additionally, the portable ventilator has further extended seals between edges of the window and the window opening where the window edge is not covered by the ventilator module.
In a preferred embodiment, wherein the portable ventilator is used in a vehicle cabin, over a window, which slides up to close window opening, the ventilator module is mounted on a top edge of a partially open window in the vehicle cabin. This ventilator module also has an elongated housing with an inverted U-shaped section straddling the top edge of the window, an extended plenum formed within the module on the interior side of the window adjacent to the U-shaped section, and an overhanging section of the module which butts against a top of the window opening. The overhanging section forms a passageway communicating with the plenum and has an elongated discharge opening outside of the vehicle cabin.
This portable ventilator also includes an inlet to the plenum from the interior of the vehicle cabin, and one or more cross flow exhaust fans mounted within the plenum to draw air from the cabin, through the inlet and out of the discharge opening outside of the vehicle cabin. Preferably, the portable ventilator has one or more batteries to provide electrical power to the exhaust fan, and a switch that activates the exhaust fan.
Alternatively it can be powered by the vehicle cigarette lighter.
The portable ventilator can have a row of cross flow exhaust fans. In addition, the inlet of the portable ventilator may be provided at a diagonal angle, with a face of the window and the exhaust fans being slanted downwardly toward the inlet.